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VIDEO Memorial Day: Honoring American Heroes of Courage, Sacrifice, and Faith

May 25, 2023 by Bill Federer

Download as PDF …

Memorial Day in America, as an annual observance, can be traced back to the end of the Civil War, a war in which over a half-million died.

Southern women scattered spring flowers on graves of both northern Union and southern Confederate soldiers.

Many places claimed to have held the original Memorial Day, such as:

  • Warrenton, Virginia;
  • Columbus, Georgia;
  • Savannah, Georgia;
  • Gettysburg, Pennsylvania;
  • Boalsburg, Pennsylvania;
  • Waterloo, New York.

One such place was Charleston, South Carolina, where a mass grave was uncovered of 257 Union soldiers who had died in a prison camp.

On May 1, 1865, former slaves organized a parade, led by 2,800 singing black children, in which they prayed, read Bible verses, sang spirituals, and reburied the soldiers with honor as an act of gratefulness for their ultimate sacrifice which gave them freedom.

In 1868, General John A. Logan, commander of the Civil War veterans’ organization “The Grand Army of the Republic,” called for a Decoration Day to be observed annually on May 30.

President James Garfield’s only executive order was in 1881 where he gave government workers May 30th off so they could decorate the graves of those who died in the Civil War.

In 1921, President Warren Harding had the remains of an unknown soldier killed in France during World War I buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery.

Inscribed on the Tomb is the phrase:

“HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD.”

Since 1921, it has been the tradition for Presidents to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The number 21 being the highest salute, the sentry takes 21 steps, faces the tomb for 21 seconds, turns and pauses 21 seconds, then retraces his steps.

On Memorial Day, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge stated:

“There can be no peace with the forces of evil. Peace comes only through the establishment of the supremacy of the forces of good.

That way lies through sacrifice … ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'”

The Memorial Day poem, “In Flanders Fields,” was composed during World War I, by a Canadian Expeditionary gunner and medical officer named John McCrae, who fought in the Second Battle of Ypres near Flanders, Belgium.

Describing the battle as a “nightmare,” as the enemy carried out one of the first chlorine gas attacks, McCrae wrote:

“For seventeen days and seventeen nights none of us have had our clothes off, nor our boots even, except occasionally. In all that time while I was awake, gunfire and rifle fire never ceased for sixty seconds …

And behind it all was the constant background of the sights of the dead, the wounded, the maimed, and a terrible anxiety lest the line should give way.”

Finding one of his friends killed, McCrae helped bury him along with the other dead in a field.

Noticing the field covered with poppy flowers, he wrote:

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.”

Notable individuals who fought in World War I include:

  • Sergeant Alvin York, who single-handedly took out 35 machine guns and captured 132;
  • John J. Pershing, General of the Armies;
  • Douglas MacArthur, Brigadier General;
  • George S. Patton, tank commander;
  • Leonard Wood, future Army Chief of Staff;
  • Harry S Truman, artillery officer and future 33rd President;
  • Eddie Rickenbacker, commander of 94th Areo Squadron;
  • Quentin Roosevelt, a pilot, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was shot down and died;
  • Charles Whittlesey, commander of the “Lost Battalion” behind lines;
  • Frank Luke -“balloon buster”;
  • Irving Berlin, composer of “God Bless America”;
  • Edouard Izac, naval office captured on a U-Boat, who escaped;
  • Henry Johnson of the “Harlem Hellfighters”;
  • Dan Daly, Marine Sergeant charged and captured machine gun nests;
  • Ernest Hemingway, author of A Farewell to Arms;
  • J.R.R. Tolken, British author of The Lord of the Rings;
  • C.S. Lewis, British author of The Chronicles of Narnia.

One soldier was Orval William Epperson.

Born on a rugged Ozark farm near Anderson, Missouri, he fought in France, being assigned to the 338th Machine Gun Battalion 88th Division.

Upon returning to America, he married Therese DeBrosse, and had three children: Joan, Orval Wilford, and Tirzah, the mother of the author of this article.

Orval and Therese’s only son was Orval Wilford “Billy” Epperson.

He served in World War II as a bombardier on a B17 Flying Fortress, 525th Squadron, 379 Bomb Group A.P.O. 550 (#0-768946).

23-year-old “Billy” Epperson flew from Camp Crowder in southwest Missouri to Kimbolton, England.

He had written a Mother’s Day note to his mom, tied it with a handkerchief to a small weight and dropped it from the plane as it flew over his hometown of Neosho, Missouri.

A neighbor got it and brought to his mother, who lived at 344 S. Hamilton.

Little did either know that that would be the closest they would be again, as Billy was shot down by the Nazis over the English Channel near Holland on July 9, 1944. His name is on the monument near Omaha Beach, at the Cimitière Amèrican de Normandie (in Colleville-sur-Mer, France) at the Killed in Action Wall (“Tablet of the Missing”).

On June 6, 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt offered a D-Day Prayer, which is now part of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.:

“My fellow Americans: … I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God, Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our republic, our religion, and our civilization …

Give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces …

We know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph …

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.”

In 1958, President Eisenhower placed soldiers in the tomb from World War II and the Korean War.

In 1968, one hundred years after the first observance, Memorial Day was moved to the last Monday in May.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan placed a soldier from the Vietnam War in the tomb.

DNA test later identified him as pilot Michael Blassie, whose A-37B Dragonfly was shot down near An Loc, South Vietnam.

He had graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970, and prior to that, graduated from St. Louis University High School in 1966, ten years before the author of this article.

In 1998, Michael Blassie’s remains were reburied at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.

In 2000, Congress passed The National Moment of Remembrance Act (Public Law 106-579), whereby on each Memorial Day, at 3:00pm, citizens should pause for a moment of prayer:

“Congress finds that … it is essential to remember and renew the legacy of Memorial Day … to pay tribute to individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States …

Greater strides must be made to demonstrate appreciation for those loyal people … whose values, represented by their sacrifices, are critical to the future of the United States …

and to encourage citizens to dedicate themselves to the … principles for which those heroes of the United States died …

A symbolic act of unity … to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace … as a day of prayer for permanent peace.”

Memorial Day grew to honor all who gave their lives defending America’s freedom in every war, including:

  • Revolutionary War (1775-1783) 25,000;
  • Barbary Wars (1801-1805; 1815) 45;
  • War of 1812 (1812-1814) 20,000;
  • Mexican-American War (1846-1848) 13,283;
  • Civil War (1861-1865) 625,000;
  • Spanish-American War (1898) 2,446;
  • World War 1 (1917-1918) 116,516;
  • World War 2 (1941-1945) 405,399;
  • Korean War (1950-1953) 36,516;
  • Vietnam War (1955-1975) 58,209;
  • Persian Gulf War (1990-1991) 258;
  • Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan (2001-2014) 2,356;
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2012) 4,489; and
  • subsequent wars against Islamic terrorism, securing our borders, and in Ukraine.

At the Memorial Day Ceremony, May 31, 1993, President Bill Clinton remarked:

“The inscription on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier says that he is ‘Known but to God.’

But that is only partly true. While the soldier’s name is known only to God, we know a lot about him.

We know he served his country, honored his community, and died for the cause of freedom. And we know that no higher praise can be assigned to any human being than those simple words …

In the presence of those buried all around us, we ask the support of all Americans in the aid and blessing of God Almighty.”

Charles Michael Province, U.S. Army, wrote the poem:

“It is the Soldier, not the minister

Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter

Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet

Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer

Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer

Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,

Who serves beneath the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag,

Who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary stated in its definition of “MEMORIAL”:

“That which preserves the memory of something … A monument is a memorial of a deceased person, or of an event. The Lord’s supper is a memorial of the death and sufferings of Christ.”

Memorials are important in Scripture. The Lord told Moses in Exodus 12:

“Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel …

In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house … Your lamb shall be without blemish … And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day … and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses … For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and … execute judgment … and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you …

And this day shall be unto you for a MEMORIAL … throughout your generations … an ordinance for ever.”

Memorial is mentioned in Joshua, chapter 4:

“When all the people were clean passed over Jordan … Joshua called the twelve men … out of every tribe …

And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder …

… That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan … and these stones shall be for a MEMORIAL unto the children of Israel for ever.”

In his Memorial Day Address, May 31, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge said:

“Settlers came here from mixed motives … Generally defined, they were seeking a broader freedom.

They were intent upon establishing a Christian commonwealth in accordance to the principle of self-government …

It has been said that ‘God sifted the nations that He might send choice grain into the wilderness.'”

Coolidge was citing an Election Sermon given in Boston, April 29, 1669, by Massachusetts Governor Judge William Stoughton, who described the Puritans fleeing persecution in England to settle in the New World:

“God sifted a whole nation that he might send choice grain over into this wilderness.”

Henry W. Longfellow used a similar line in his classic Courtship of Miles Standish:

“God had sifted three kingdoms to find the wheat for this planting.”

This was explained further in Benjamin Franklin Morris’ classic The Christian Life and Character of The Civil Institutions of The United States (1864):

“The persecutions of the Puritans in England for non-conformity, and the religious agitations and conflicts in Germany by Luther, in Geneva by Calvin, and in Scotland by Knox, were the preparatory ordeals for qualifying Christian men for the work of establishing the civil institutions on the American continent.

‘God sifted’ in these conflicts ‘a whole nation that He might send choice grain over into the wilderness’; and the blood and persecution of martyrs became the seed of both the church and the state …

It was in these schools of fiery trial that the founders of the American republic were educated and prepared for their grand Christian mission …

They were trained in stormy times, in order to prepare them to … establish the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty and of just systems of civil government.”

Concluding in his Memorial Day Address that America’s republic is worth preserving, President Calvin Coolidge stated May 31, 1923:

“They had a genius for organized society on the foundations of piety, righteousness, liberty, and obedience of the law …

Who can fail to see in it the hand of destiny? Who can doubt that it has been guided by a Divine Providence?”

Douglas MacArthur told West Point cadets, May 1962:

“The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training-sacrifice.

In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those Divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in His own image …

No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of Divine help which alone can sustain him.

However horrible the incidents of war may be, the soldier who is called upon to offer and to give his life for his country is the noblest development of mankind.”

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Image Credits: Public Domain; Description: A soldier assigned to the Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard,” guards the Tomb of the Unknowns after the U.S. Army’s senior leadership laid a wreath in tribute to the Army’s 233rd birthday at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia; Date: June 14, 2008; Source: U.S. Department of Defense photo essay; Author: D. Myles Cullen ; This image was released by the United States Army with the ID 080614-A-0193C-015; This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Defense.gov_photo_essay_080614-A-0193C-015.jpg

https://americanminute.com/blogs/todays-american-minute/memorial-day-honoring-american-heroes-of-courage-sacrifice-faith-american-minute-with-bill-federer

Powerful video of colonel presenting flag to soldier’s daughter.

https://truthsocial.com/@CitizenFreePress/posts/110449014203087629

“What do coins left on military headstones mean?”

Video~May We Never Forget Freedom Isn’t Free — Memorial Day Tribute 2023


Related

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/memorial-day-barbecue-prices-up-last-year

3 Reasons You Don’t Get This Grace Thing

By Full Strength Network May 5, 2023

give grace
Source: Lightstock

Grace seems easy. It’s grace, after all, right?

But in reality, grace is really hard. What I mean is…

  1. We have a hard time receiving grace because we either feel that we’re too undeserving to have the undeserved favor of God, or that we’re okay and don’t really need it.
  2. We have a hard time giving grace for lots of reasons—the hurt is too deep, we’ve wrongly ranked their sin as worse than ours, or we still haven’t received grace yet.

The subject of grace continues to be a sticky one for us. It just seems too easy.

Be forgiven, instantly, of even the most heinous of sins by a holy and righteous God because we placed our faith in his Son? 

It still seems too easy. Shockingly easy. Scandalously easy.

I think there are three primary reasons we struggle with the idea of both giving and receiving grace.

1. We’re conditioned by conditional love.

We live in a world of limited, conditional love. While God says, I love you, we often say things like,

  • I love you because… (implying conditions)
  • I love you until… (implying limits)
  • I love you unless… (you get the picture)

Far too many of us have been sent the signal that we’ll be loved until we cross some arbitrary line and go too far. Spouses are left abandoned. Children are abused and neglected. Former friends are left bewildered by the erosion of a friendship.

That’s the world we live in. That’s the way things work. So surely God must work the same way, right?

That’s what we tell ourselves, even if subconsciously. That’s why we always seem to have to issue a disclaimer, like, God loves you unconditionally, but he hates your sin and wants you to repent…

Does God hate sin? Yes. Does he require repentance? Yes. But from our perspective, we’re so afraid we’ll give too much grace we’re afraid to simply state his love without making sure we’ve added the necessary call to justice.

But God’s love and grace aren’t limited or conditional in the way that ours is. He is fully capable of remaining perfectly holy while at the same time extending unconditional, limitless love to even the chiefs of sinners.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.

Ephesians 3:18 NLT

2. We fail to understand the reach of the cross.

We tend to think of everything as happening on a timeline. And indeed, the biblical narrative does seem to flow from age to age. We start with creation, move through ancient Israel’s journeys, captivity, and liberty to the cross, the resurrection, and the church age, culminating in the second coming of Jesus.

The problem is, God exists outside the boundaries and limitations of time.

He started the clock. He will stop the clock someday. He doesn’t have to wait for anything. He is God.

When it comes to the cross, we have this imaginary pin we stick on the timeline of our lives. We assume he forgave all of our past sins, but not our future sins. Or that he forgave all the sins we’ve committed up until that really bad sin (as though some sins aren’t that bad).

But on the cross, Jesus’ death was an atoning sacrifice before God for the all of the sins of all of the people who had or would ever trust in him. When we truly know Jesus, we know the forgiveness of sins past, present, and future.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time…

1 Peter 3:18 NLT

3. We use our math rather than God’s math.

One of the most common mistakes we make is to assume that God has done 99% of the work of saving us and that we merely need to do 1%—repent and believe.

But repenting and believing doesn’t contribute to our redemption. Repenting and believing is simply the proper response to our redemption.

Salvation is 100% a God thing.

He initiated it. He foresaw, foreknew, and foreordained. He justified, sanctified, and glorified his people. Some of the effects remain to be seen in eternity, but it’s as good as done.

On our scales, our sins are pretty bad, but their sins are definitely worse. Sure, God could forgive us, but them?

On our scales, most of our sins are not that big of a deal. But the big sins – murder, rape, abuse… those sins must be harder for God to forgive than my sins of pride, greed, or worry.

Ultimately, our scales are just broken. They’re inequitable.

But with God’s scales, the weight and measure of the atoning sacrifice of Christ far outweighs the power and rule of any and all sin anywhere that God’s immeasurable grace evokes a response of genuine repentance and faith.

Grace is hard for us to get because we’re limited in our perspectives, conditioned by our culture, naturally defensive, and have an inordinate sense of fairness about the wrongs committed by others.

But grace is grace. The existence of God means the existence of grace, and it’s a gift he shares with us freely on the basis of the cross where Jesus died.

And now, our challenge is to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18 NLT)

This article originally appeared here.

Facebook Cracks Down on Christian Content, Labels It ‘Hate Speech’

Frank Bergman May 21, 2023 

Facebook has provoked a widespread backlash after the social media platform deleted Christian content and labeled it “hate speech.”

The issue was highlighted by journalist Billy Hallowell, a former Blaze writer.

Hallowell, a Christian, exercised his religious freedom by posting on Facebook: “Jesus died so you could live.”

However, despite his post reflecting one of Christianity’s core beliefs, Hallowell’s post was deleted by Facebook and he was accused of spreading “hate speech” on the Big Tech platform.

Hallowell shared about this on Twitter, backed up by screenshots, and a comment stating that the incident was “very, very bizarre.”

While such attacks against constitutional rights can sometimes be written off as an “error” or a “technical issue,” this wasn’t the case.

Hallowell followed Facebook’s appeals process, assuming the “mistake” would be corrected.

It wasn’t.

Facebook’s moderators reviewed Hallowell’s post and doubled down, accusing him of spreading “hate speech.”

Hallowell posted the comment on Facebook around April 2.

He posted his Christian message around Easter time, making the statement more pertinent.

But the post quickly got flagged for allegedly violating the community hate speech policy.

He then received a warning that it could be “reviewed.”

At that point, the punishment that Facebook’s censoring machine thought fit the “crime” was to make the post invisible to anyone but the author.

After the post was reviewed by a Facebook moderator, the crackdown became more severe.

The post was deleted altogether after an “appeal.”

“Your appeal was reviewed,” claimed Facebook.

“We are unable to show content that goes against our community standards on hate speech.”

READ MORE: Facebook Censors Reports Linking Biden to Nord Stream Attack

VIDEO Why Are We Fascinated by Historical Battles ?

 BY PATRICIA FURSTENBERG

I have always been fascinated by historical battles, especially the way historical fiction books and movies depict them. There are many fans of historical battles walking among us, but why are we hypnotized by them?

Why Are We Mesmerized by Past Battles from History?

Humans have been fascinated with past battles and warfare throughout history for a variety of reasons. Having lived through a Revolution and the fall of the Eastern Bloc, I can see that the power of historical knowledge. Here are some possible explanations I wrestled with (pun intended) as to why we are mesmerized by historical battles.

Silent Heroes of war

Competition is part of human nature

Warfare and conflict have been a part of human history since ancient times, and as such it have become deeply ingrained in our collective consciousness. The desire to understand and analyze past battles and wars may simply be a natural human inclination.

Also the life of a solder, often perceived as a life sentence of an unpredictable time, was indeed seen as a right of passage, as important as birth, marriage, and death. And thus it was reflected by the cultural heritage.

National identity and pride lead to wars, and become evident during war

Many people identify strongly with their national or cultural heritage, and studying past battles and wars can be a way to connect with and feel proud of their heritage. It can also be a way to understand the struggles and sacrifices of one’s ancestors.

ON THIS MAY DAY 
#poetry written by @PatFurstenberg

Strategy and tactics are the bread and butter of leaders

Military history is also studied for its strategic and tactical lessons. By analyzing the successes and failures of past battles, military leaders learn valuable lessons that can be applied to future conflicts – and hopefully shorten them if not render them unnecessary.

Entertainment is part of our daily lives

Past battles and wars are often depicted in popular culture, such as movies, books, and TV shows – watching historical documentaries and reenactments are some of my favorite past times. These illustrations are both entertaining and educational especially since women and men often present war from different perspectives, and can spark an interest in learning more about history.

Lessons for the present – History should be remembered

Studying past battles can also help us understand the present. By looking at how past conflicts were resolved or how they escalated, we can gain insights into current events and potential future conflicts.

on this may day poem by Patricia Furstenberg

Hypnotized by war & gore – at least some of us, I know I am

As a specie, humans have an evolutionary instinct that makes us curious and fascinated by violence and danger as a way to survive in dangerous environments. Our ancestors who were more alert to potential threats may have been more likely to survive and pass on their genes. It is also an intellectual curiosity, wanting to understand the causes and effects of violence on individuals and societies.

It’s important to approach these topics with sensitivity and care, and to remember that the reality of war and violence is often much different than their fictionalized or romanticized portrayals in media.

Military dogs in Iraq war, Afghanistan War, Gulf War
Military dogs in Iraq war, Afghanistan War, Gulf War – and their human handlers

Writing about battles

I do have a few historical battles in my books and I’ve read many historical novels written my a variety of authors and authoresses with epic battle scenes. Often, a battle scene moves the plot forward and shades a spotlight on characters, bringing out their strengths and, sometimes, even their weaknesses.

Women writing war fiction is a controversial topic and one close to my heart and I wrote about it here.

On my blog I wrote a small scene about one of the Roman invasions of Daciaa Mongol invasion of Sibiu, about hope, about the power of love during the Revolution of 1848a poem about revolution, one about the consequences of war, about a soldier and his dog, and a series of blog posts about dogs in the trenches of history, among others.

US-Marine-Private-John-Drugan-and-his-war-dog-Okinawa-Japan-May-1945-source-ww2dbase
US-Marine-Private-John-Drugan-and-his-war-dog-Okinawa-Japan-May-1945-source-ww2dbase

Historical battles from Romania’s past in my books

In my historical fiction Transylvania’s History A to Z the 100-word stories “A Paleolithic Murder”, “Echoes of Battle, the Getae”, “Falx vs Gladius, Daoi vs Roman”, “New Footprints on Old Land”, “Wars with Ottomans”deal with wars.

In Dreamland: “Girl Warrior”, “War Science”, “Glaring and Grabbing”, “Kronstadt, the Crown Burg”, “Victoriuos Escape”, “Soimos Fortress, a Hawk’s Nest”,”Witchcraft or Death Organ”, “Grind and Grime of a Janissary”, “Withstand in Faith”, “The Hajduk” are stories depicting scenes from battles from Romania’s past or deal with the consequences of war.

Battles from the War in Afghanistan

My contemporary fiction novel Silent Heroes, When Love and Values are Worth Fighting for was chosen as one of “5 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime”. I will include here a snippet from a battle scene between the American soldiers and the Taliban. The lat battle, the ned of an war:

“In one great eruption, the earth was hurled high into the air by the explosion, tumbling with a thunderous din on the roof of the hut, on top of the white Taliban flag. Both Marines were thrown against the adjacent trees. Stinging dirt cut their faces and hands, hot, dry air burned their nostrils and their lungs while the blast punched the back of their heads with big, strong fists.

Seb felt something wet in his right boot and he hoped it was blood, he hoped he wasn’t dead and that he hadn’t pissed himself. He looked, never being happier to see himself bleed. Grenade pellets must have got in there, he thought.

Marcos remembered the time a huge wave caught him by surprise and it took him with, rolling him over and over until he felt each bone in his body crushed while the roaring of an express train resonated through his ears.”Silent Heroes by Patricia Furstenberg

5 books everyone should read in their lifetime
5 books everyone should read in their lifetime, Jodi Picoult, Ken Follett, Patricia Furstenberg, Victor Hugo, Shantaram

It’s worth noting that while war and gore can be intriguing to some, they are also deeply disturbing. My heart goes out to the soldiers and the loyal companions who have populated the battle lines. Wars have everlasting effects on humankind, psychological, material, social, to name but a few. It’s important to approach these topics with sensitivity and care, and to remember that the reality of war and violence is often much different than their fictionalized or romanticized portrayals in media, war propaganda, or in books.

Typhoon Cobra, December 1944

This is an archive. In December 1944, ships of the United States Third Fleet were refueling three hundred miles east of the Philippines. They didn’t know that they were sailing into a powerful typhoon. The History Guy remembers Typhoon Cobra.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

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Crisis, conflict and war – How NATO is preparing to resist | DW Documentary

Why is Fasting important?

May 6, 2023 Gloria

Fasting means reducing or giving up food for a certain amount of time. It is important to fast because it brings us closer to God, builds our discipline, and expresses our humility.

Psalms 35:13(Kjv) But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; And my prayers returned into mine own blosom. Ezra 8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

We should fast because we want

  • To express repentance
  • To break bad habits
  • To seek Gods guidance
  • To strengthen our prayer
  • To strengthen the Flesh

How can you fast?

Let’s explore the 5 W’s of fasting

  • Why: are you fasting?
  • When: will you fast? you need to plan it
  • Which: meals are you giving up? is it breakfast? lunch? or dinner?
  • Who: are you fasting for? It may be your best friend, your parents, your partner, or yourself
  • what: will you do while fasting? For example; Praying, staying hydrated, Meditating, staying out of trouble, etc.

Begin with 1 meal per day when you start this journey and you may later advance. It doesn’t get easier but it gets better. There will be times when you will be sitting next to people either eating your favorite food or cooking it and you will salivate, but it is in this moment where you should rely on God to strengthen your flesh. The flesh wants a lot of things, the devil will tempt every area of your life just like he did with Jesus during his 40-day fast but remember, He who lives in you is greater than He who is in the world. So you need to pray, read God’s word, rely on Him to be your source of strength, and He will help you overcome temptations.

Mathew 6:16-18(NLT) and when you fast don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face 18. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Fasting will change your life for the better. Sometimes you will not see the results just like David in 2 Samuel 12:16-20 but maintain the Faith and Hope in your life and let that guide you towards a brighter future.

For All She Has Done . . .

by Greg Laurie on May 13, 2023

 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her. 

—Proverbs 31:28

On Mother’s Day, a gift is fine and a card is good, but it’s important to let mothers know that we appreciate them.

Years ago, Cathe and I said to our sons, “We don’t want gifts. We want to get a card from you, and most importantly, we want you to write something in it.”

We’ve saved every one of those cards. A few years before our son Christopher went to Heaven, he wrote this in a Mother’s Day card to Cathe: “Dear Mom, you’ve always helped me and encouraged me more than you know. I know that I always tell you how much I love you and how beautiful you are. What I want you to know is how beautiful I think you are on the inside.

“When I’m out and about and I give advice, I think of how you would act. I think about what you would say. I try to treat people like you do and relate to others in a godly, compassionate way. Thank you for loving me unconditionally all my life and raising me to walk in God’s plan and Jesus’ forgiveness. Have a wonderful day. It’s yours. Love, Christopher.”

And Jonathan wrote a card to Cathe that said, “Happy Mother’s Day. I love you, Mom. Thank you for the many ways you bless, and continue to bless, me and my family as well as those around you. You have impacted many, but none as deeply as Christopher and me. The way you have run your race and lived your life has been with great character and endurance. I pray I continue after your example as well. Love you always, Jonathan.”

Those are tributes to a mother who has done, and is doing, her job.

If you’ve been a godly mother and have done your part to raise your children in the way of the Lord, we thank you and honor you.

VIDEO Catholic Advocacy Group Launches $1 Million Campaign to Boycott LA Dodgers in Response to Honor Blasphemous Anti Catholic Trans Nuns – Pride Month Is Cynical

By Jim Hoft May. 27, 2023

In a powerful display of solidarity, one of the largest Catholic organizations CatholicVote has raised $1 million to launch a campaign to boycott the LA Dodgers.

The boycott campaign is a response to the recent controversy surrounding the team’s decision to re-invite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to the Dodgers’ “LGBTQ+ Pride Night” on June 16.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, also called Order of Perpetual Indulgence, is a group of queer and trans nuns known for their blasphemous acts mocking Catholicism.

CatholicVote President Brian Burch addressed the letter to Dodgers principal owner Mark Walter and CEO Stan Kasten, expressing deep concern over the team’s decision to honor the controversial trans group.

Recall, the Dodgers will give its “Community Hero Award” to the Los Angeles chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during its pride night at Dodgers Park next month.

As Banks Fail and Americans Scramble to Protect Retirement Accounts With Physical Gold and Silver, A Faith-Based Company Shows Them How

“I represent the nation’s largest lay Catholic advocacy organization,” Burch wrote per Fox News. “We are supported by millions of devoted Catholics across America who believe that the time-honored values of life, family, and freedom — which the Dodgers used to celebrate — are demonstrably good for America, and worthy of respect, not ridicule.”

“We wrote to you last week with a reasonable ask: Please do not honor this anti-Catholic hate group,” Burch told the Dodgers’ administrators. “There is no place for anti-Catholic bigotry, mocking of religious sisters, or celebrating a perverse activist group whose identity is marked by blasphemy and mockery of Catholics.”

Below are some of the blasphemous acts by the group:

The “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” are not heroes, they’re an anti-Christian hate group that performs profane public sex acts that mock Christ. I know a lot of Dodger players are Christian, push your club to say no to this garbage. pic.twitter.com/UeqAzjxQ52

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 26, 2023

And here are the winners! Behold!
Foxy Mary: Free Choice Mary
Hunky Jesus: Haus of Jesus
(photos by the amazing Gooch) pic.twitter.com/690qd0HcAT

— The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (@SFSisters) April 12, 2023

To amplify their message and encourage fellow Catholics to take a stand, CatholicVote revealed that they have allocated a significant $1 million budget for an upcoming advertising campaign. The organization aims to raise awareness of the Dodgers’ decision and mobilize Catholics to boycott the team in response.

On Thursday, Bishop Robert Barron released a video called the public to boycott the Dodgers.

Bishop Aaron expressed his disbelief at the treatment Catholics received compared to other faiths. He emphasized the double standard and questioned the reaction if similar acts targeted other religions, such as desecrating the Quran or mocking a rabbi.

WATCH:

Friends, it’s hard to imagine anything more offensive than some of the behavior of the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” which I think can only be described as an anti-Catholic hate group. pic.twitter.com/VLZP28Soab

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) May 25, 2023

I’m a big baseball fan. I’ve even thrown out the first pitch at a Dodgers game. But I’d encourage my friends in LA to boycott the Dodgers.

Let’s not just pray, but make our voices heard in defense of our Catholic faith.

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) May 25, 2023

Pride Month Is A Cynical Exercise In State-Enforced Homosexuality

BY: SAMUEL MANGOLD-LENETT MAY 25, 2023

The synthesis of public and private power has made both groups’ overbearing leftism and social engineering impossible to escape.

Pride Month — formerly known as June — is right around the corner, and with that comes the annual rainbow lighting of the White House, heaping of praise upon people like the Nashville shooter, and the continued denigration of religious institutions by American corporations.

In this instance, and countless others, the public and private sectors work hand in glove to advance both an ideological and political agenda. When, recently, Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance said that “[t]here is no meaningful distinction between the public and the private sector in the United States of America,” he was describing situations like this, in which state and corporate entities move in lockstep towards common, predetermined goals with such strength and vigor that dissent becomes impossible.

Whether we call it economic fascism (stripping the 20th-century relic of its emphasis on national identity) or corporatism, the point remains the same: members of the managerial elite who fill out the ranks in government and corporate America alike use their respective spheres of influence to form a public-private regime dedicated to immanentizing a disordered eschaton.

For decades now, American institutions, ideologically captured by the left, have collaborated to establish a new system of social priorities while preventing dissent from challenging their grip on power.

Things like ESG scores, the Corporate Equality Index, the LGBT indoctrination of children by public schools and entertainment conglomerates like Disney, and pronoun struggle sessions at the State Department make this apparent. Wanting the same outcomes, these institutions invest their vast resources, time, and manpower to coerce the public’s behavior. Your business will have the same commitments as a Fortune 500 firm, your children will have the same worldview as Greta Thunberg, and you will be happy about it. 

Sexuality just happens to be one of the more obvious instances in which these people have let their mask slip. Nevertheless, you must get on board or get crushed. You are no longer allowed to opt out; we saw this when Big Tech attacked Gays Against Groomers, presumably for the crime of highlighting the predatory behavior of pederasts. 

Objectors to the outcomes of this synthesis of power are met with censorship, violence towards them is treated with nonchalance, and they have their careers and reputations ruined. Loyalty to the regime, of course, is rewarded — as we saw with Jen Psaki’s transition to MSNBC after her stint as White House press secretary.

[READ: Transgender Inc.: A Running List Of Corporate Gender Insanity Insulting Women, Kids, And Reality]

Deeply entrenched federal bureaucrats worked with executives in Big Tech to astroturf political narratives benefiting the Democratic Party by throttling stories — notably Hunter Biden’s “laptop from hell” — that would benefit Republican candidates; the State Department knowingly used bogus intel provided by NGOs to monitor dissident online speech; and the most popular payment processor in the world, PayPal, is willing to levy hefty fines on users who spread “misinformation.”

There simply is no longer a distinction between the private and public sectors; they carry out each other’s goals and enforce them as though they are part of the same body — because they are different only in name. And only by spreading their message can you reap the benefits; opposing it drastically increases the odds you get your teeth kicked in. 

Roughly 10 years ago, comedian Sam Hyde, adorned in plastic centurion armor, lampooned the self-important nature of TED Talk-style lectures with an elaborate prank in which he delivered a speech titled “2070 Paradigm Shift.” Throughout the bit, Hyde mocked the onanistic optimism of TED Talks by suggesting the audience should look forward to a tolerant era of “state-enforced homosexuality.”

Hyde’s remarks were tongue-in-cheek, but in today’s climate where the only truly acceptable choice is the endorsement of the public-private regime’s messaging, its embrace of “alternative lifestyles,” and denigration of everything else, they ring true.

The U.S. government is committed to flying LGBT pride flags at its embassies around the world except in places like Saudi Arabia, where it can’t afford to offend the local population’s cultural sensitivities. The Vatican, on the other hand, is fair game. Similarly, with the coming of Pride Month comes the annual changing of corporate branding to rainbow iconography in a show of solidarity with this agenda, but these corporate entities are sure to omit this initiative from their Middle Eastern marketing campaigns.

What’s the point of all this? 

Clearly, it isn’t to destigmatize homosexuality in the West; that has already been done. It’s the same reason why the Anti-Defamation League says “grooming” — the normalization and cultivation of deviant behavior in impressionable people like 12-year-old drag queens who pantomime snorting ketamine —  is a “bigoted lie targeting the LGBTQ+ community.”

It’s to stop you from saying no while the most powerful institutions in the history of the world — the federal government and corporate America — collaborate to force it upon you and your community.

It is, in fact, state-enforced.


Samuel Mangold-Lenett is a staff editor at The Federalist. His writing has been featured in the Daily Wire, Townhall, The American Spectator, and other outlets. He is a 2022 Claremont Institute Publius Fellow. Follow him on Twitter @smlenett.

https://thefederalist.com/2023/05/25/pride-month-is-a-cynical-exercise-in-state-enforced-homosexuality/

“Gay Man Just Gave The Best Rant”


Related

AUDIO Set Your House In Order

Br Rev Bill Woods

Isaiah 38:1-3 and 2 Kings 20:1-3  — In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Hebrews 9:27—And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.

I talked to my sister, Peggy, on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, just like every other Tuesday for the last several years.

She mentioned a tight feeling in her chest and wondered if it was her heart.

I said take some aspirin — if it persists go to the emergency room to check it out.

She asked if Russia invading the Ukraine fit into End-times prophecies.

I told her not to worry because God takes care of His own.  I reminded her of the panic over the Y-2k scare in 2000.

She seemed a little better.

She e-mailed our friend Janelle, in Camas, Washington, and mentioned the pain she was experiencing.  She said if she didn’t know better, she’d think it was a heart attack.

Janelle wrote back — Peggy didn’t answer.

For two days Janelle e-mailed her and called her on the phone with no response.

Thursday afternoon Janelle called me and said she had a bad feeling about Peggy.

I tried e-mailing and calling Peggy — no response!

I called the Walla Walla Police Department asking for a wellness check — they couldn’t go in without a family member being present.

After many calls I reached our brother Joe and asked him to meet the police.

At 11:30 p.m., May 22, they entered the house — Peggy sat slumped over her computer dead!

We’ve no guarantee we’ll be alive tomorrow.   It pays to be ready!

Take the case of Hezekiah, one of the Good Kings of Judah.

Hezekiah was the great-grandson of King Uzziah, who was the son of Amaziah.

Uzziah began his reign at age 16, after Amaziah’s death.

Judah prospered under Uzziah’s reign, but he allowed the high places to remain.

However, as long as he sought God he prospered.

He became arrogant and burned incense in the Temple, a priest’s job not a King’s and God struck him with leprosy.  He had to be isolated.

Uzziah’s son, Jotham became co-King because his father had leprosy.

He began to reign at age 25.   The high places remained.  He reigned for 16 years.

Jotham’s son, Ahaz began his reign at age 20 — he was an evil king.

He sacrificed his children to Baal.  He cut up the sacred vessels from the Temple.

Ahaz’s son was Hezekiah — a good king.

Hezekiah tore down the high places.  Destroyed the brass serpent Moses made — the people had made it an idol.

Began his reign at age 25 — repaired the temple and reinstated the Passover feast.  A great reformation took place in Judah.

Judah prospered under Hezekiah.

One day Hezekiah was sick in bed when Isaiah came and said, “Set your house in order, you’re dying!”

What a bedside manner!

Hezekiah panicked!  I suppose we would too!  We all want to go the Heaven, but we dread the trip.

What if you found you had only a short time to live, maybe just a few hours, days, or weeks, would you change any of your actions or attitudes?

IF I KNEW I WAS ABOUT TO DIE I’D WANT TO BE SURE I WAS RIGHT WITH CHRIST.  I WANT NOTHING TO MAR MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

If I knew I was going to die and had unconfessed sin in my life, I’d confess those sins to Jesus.

That morning I talked with Peg about her bitterness and non-forgiving spirit.

I’d preached, “Monsters in the Basement” the Sunday before and had e-mailed her my outline.

She asked: “Is it sin to have those attitudes?”

I told her Jesus said if we can’t forgive others, He can’t forgive us.

I told her she couldn’t clean that mess, but Jesus could!

She listened and did some heart-searching.  We prayed.  I’m thankful for that last conversation………

If I knew my life was about over and I had harbored bitterness towards someone, I’d ask God to flow His forgiveness through me to that person — I’d do my best to pray for them and try to see them as God sees them.

They may have offended me, but not nearly as bad as I offend God with my bitterness.

Even if they’ve mistreated me, it’ll be me that will stand before God with my attitude.

He’s provided Forgiveness for me I certainly can ask Him to help me to forgive.

If I knew I was about to die and had wronged someone, I’d want to make it right.

I don’t want a bad relationship with anyone to keep me out of Heaven.

Remember Hell isn’t temporary — it lasts forever with no hope of escape!

If I knew I was dying and had been slack in my devotions and prayer life, I’d make certain I read my Bible and prayed like I should have been doing all along.

I don’t want to hear God say, “Hi Stranger, Depart, I never knew you.”  I’ve been trying to sharpen my relationship to Him in that very area.

If I was about to die and I’d stolen from or cheated anyone, I’d make it right because I don’t want to try to explain that one to God – especially if I’d been stealing from God.

Malachi 3:8-10–Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

If I was dying, I’d want to be current with my Tithe — I sure don’t want to face God with His money in my pocket!

Leighton Farrell pastored Highland Park Church in Dallas, Texas.

He said a man in the church once made a covenant with a former pastor to tithe 10% of their income every year.

They were young — neither of them had much money – things changed.

The layman tithed $1000 the year he earned $10,000.

$10,000 the year he earned $100,000.

$100,000 the year he earned one million.

But the year he earned six million dollars he just couldn’t bring himself to write that check for $600,000 to the Church. 

He telephoned the minister, who had moved to another church, and asked to see him.

Walking into the pastor’s office the man begged to be let out of the covenant, saying, “This tithing business has to stop. It was fine when my tithe was $1000, but I just can’t afford $600,000. You’ve got to do something, Reverend!”

The pastor knelt and prayed silently for a long time.

Eventually the man said, “What are you doing? Are you praying God will let me out of the covenant to tithe?”

“No,” said the pastor. “I’m praying that God will reduce your income back to the level where $1000 will be your tithe!”

Listen, I have a sad reminder—we are all dying. 

You don’t know when death will come or if you’ll have any warning.

Hebrews 9:27—And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

It would make sense for you to live like you want to live if you knew you were going to face Jesus tomorrow or even tonight!

Set your house in order!

Some people live too long — Hezekiah should’ve accepted God’s Plan. 

Isaiah 38:4-8—Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.  I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city. “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.” So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.

God gave him 15 more years – 2 Kings 20:6– and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.”

God did some wonderful miracles during those extra 15 years while Hezekiah was King.

Sennacherib, ruler of Assyria, demanded tribute from Judah which Hezekiah’s father had paid, but Hezekiah refused to pay.

This led to an invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, who took 40 cities and besieged

Jerusalem.

The 1st time Hezekiah yielded to the demands of Sennacherib and paid him 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold.

Sennacherib came back within 2 years invading Judah — demanding more.

Hezekiah had had enough!

With Isaiah’s guidance he prayed for God’s help — and WOW“That night the angel of the Lord smote 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians.”

Sennacherib fled to Nineveh with the shattered remnant of his forces. 17 years later, he was assassinated by his sons.

Also, during those 15 years various ambassadors came to congratulate Hezekiah on his recovery among them Merodach-baladan, the King of Babylon.

Isaiah 39:1-8—At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” Comfort for God’s People

They came to see what God had done for Hezekiah — what did Hezekiah do?                                               

Hezekiah’s prosperity, success, and deliverance from sickness made him proud.

Rather than give God credit for all His blessings, he wanted to impress the foreigners.

When God helps us, we mustn’t take credit for His blessings to impress others.                                                            

A testimony of victory can quickly degenerate into vanity and self-congratulations.                             

He exalted himself instead of God.

Hezekiah was haughty. “Look at my shiny house of armor. Look at all these trinkets I’ve accumulated, this collection of stuff.  I chased Sennacherib off, I did this, I did that.”

Isaiah warned Hezekiah to put his house in order but by this time his heart was again cluttered with self-importance – God won’t share His Glory!…………                                                      

Remember even Moses got in trouble for disobeying God’s instructions and taking credit for providing water from the rock.

Numbers 20:7-12and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him. Moses Strikes the Rock Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”  And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.  And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

Also during that 15 years Manasseh, the most evil King of Judah was born.

2 Kings 20:21–And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

How quickly we forget how God has delivered us and blessed us.

I saw a program on TV years ago – Thugs were chasing a man with the idea of beating and killing him.

He begged God, “O please God, help me, save me from those thugs.”

As soon as he was safe, he said, “It’s Okay God, I can take it from here.”

Before EPA, in the Spring in logging country great quantities of logs were shot down to the rivers in log flumes.  (troughs)

Sometimes a log jam occurred.

The lumberjack would look for the log causing the jam. When he found that key log, he jerked it out of place, and the flow moved on down the river.

There’s such a thing as a spiritual log jam.

We lose our religious enthusiasm, interest in personal devotions wanes, an hour in the Lord’s house becomes a bore, and the Bible becomes an unopened Book.

When that happens, we must find the key log stopping the flood of spiritual life.

It may be an unforgiving spirit, or jealousy, or hypocrisy.

Jerk the obstruction out of place with Christ’s help and spiritual vitality will surge onward.

We need to constantly stay up to date with God!  Not just during the crisis times.

The symptoms of spiritual decline are like what happens when we begin to lose our physical health.

It begins with a loss of appetite … for wholesome food, prayer, reading the Scriptures, and devotional books.

When you notice these symptoms, be alarmed – your spiritual health is in danger; go immediately to the great Physician for a cure.

Hezekiah needed to set his house in order and then he needed to keep his house in order.

How about you?

If every circumstance finds us abiding in Christ, we’ll find Christ abiding with us in every circumstance.


PODCAST SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER

https://www.buzzsprout.com/824359/12930493


There is Still Power in the Blood

Don't believe in the Devil? 

That's exactly where Satin wants you. He and his demonic hosts are working hard to deceive you because he knows his time is running out and he will soon be cast into the bottomless pit. One pastor told me to leave Satin alone because "If we leave him alone will leave us alone." That's dumb because he doesn't intend to leave you or your family alone. You must learn how to stand against him. 

In this book you will find how:

-Demons enter in the first place.

-How to be set free from demonic bondage.

-How to stay free.

-Pit falls Satin hopes you will fall into so he can destroy you and your family.

-How to have a close walk with Jesus Christ and enjoy victory in your life. 

Remember: THERE IS STILL POWER IN THE BLOOD!

https://www.churchofthegalilean.com/product-page/there-is-still-power-in-the-blood

Preach the Word: Because It Promotes Personal Bible Study

by John MacArthur  May 17, 2023

This post was first published in January, 2014. —ed.

Prior to the Reformation, personal Bible study would have been a foreign concept to all but the religious elite. Churchgoers didn’t have individual access to God’s Word, much less a Bible in their own language. Only the Roman Catholic clergy were able to view Scripture, and even then it could only be read in Latin.

The Reformers were instrumental in translating God’s Word into the language of the common man. In doing so, they reintroduced the centrality of biblical exposition and encouraged personal Bible study. Today we enjoy the fruit of their labor and sacrifice without much regular thought. But with the abundant blessings of easy access to Scripture also comes the responsibility we have to faithfully study it.

Last time we discussed the ways expository Bible teaching benefits the pastor. But his diligent study and faithful teaching also benefit his congregation, as he demonstrates the value and blessing of personal Bible study before them. People are dramatically impacted by the power of the Word through him. And when they see that the Word impacts them through their pastor, they are motivated to follow that model. 

For more than four decades, God has given me the privilege of studying His Word and preaching it multiple times each week. Over those decades, my enthusiasm for the truth has only increased, as I become more and more aware of the glory of the God of Scripture and His awesome works. God’s people recognize that enthusiasm in their leaders because it inevitably spills over into the preaching each Lord’s Day. It prompts and encourages their personal study throughout the week and stimulates their spiritual growth.

Expositional preaching also teaches people how to interpret the Scripture in their own study.  As a biblical preacher, you are a living demonstration of hermeneutics. When you preach effectively, you take people through the process of unpacking the text that yields the true interpretation. You are teaching your people a method of careful examination of the text so that they can be like the Bereans, who tested everything by a true understanding of the Word (Acts 17:10-11). 

Show me a church where there is strong Bible teaching over an enduring period of time, and I will show you a congregation who are studying the Word of God on their own, applying the very principles of interpretation that have been modeled for them by their pastor. On the other hand, show me a church where the Word of God is not taught in the pulpit, and I’ll show you a congregation in which biblical illiteracy, doctrinal confusion, and spiritual apathy at the personal level are rampant.

The people will not rise to a level higher than that of their teacher. They will follow the example of their leadership. So if we love God’s Word, our people will too.  If not, neither will they.

(Adapted from The Master’s Plan for the Church.)

https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B140130

VIDEO Former Child Actor Speaks Out About Demonic Event He Witnessed in Hollywood as a Kid


 By Lorri Wickenhauser  May 25, 2023

Former child star Ricky Schroeder recently shared a chilling tale on social media of an incident he said happened to him during his time as a youngster in show business.

Schroeder won a Golden Globe award for “New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture” for his role as Jon Voight’s young son in the 1979 film, “The Champ.”

At the beginning of the Instagram video, Schroeder talked about a favorite uncle whom he idolized, who fought in Germany during World War II and told the young boy about the dark days and evil deeds of the Nazis.

Then, Schroeder segued into a story about something that he said happened to him as a boy. He didn’t specify his age at the time of the incident, but said it was before he was old enough to drive.

WARNING: The following story and social media post contain descriptions that some may find disturbing.

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“I was hanging out with the older guys,” Schroeder said. “And somebody popped in a cassette tape into a VHS player.”

On the TV screen, “There was a room with a body,” he said.

Also in the room were people wearing hoods and robes, Schroeder said.

“They had some sort of ritual where they took out a knife and cut [the body] down the side.

“They took out parts of him, and blood started flowing and they were chanting.

“There was women there, and they took off their clothes, and then they took the blood and they smeared it on their bodies and started to be sexual with each other.

“It was quite disturbing to see.”

Schroeder said the group he was with gave him the VHS cassette, and he took it to “somebody I trusted.”

After watching the video, the person told him, “Never watch that again, and give it back to whoever gave it to you.”

“So I did that,” he said. “But I was always confused about why they didn’t ask where it came from.”

“And so, I believe that I met some of the cult members when I was younger, and they could be the Illuminati, or tied to them,” Schroeder said.

He added, “If you type in Illuminati backwards, it’ll actually take you to the NSA — National Security Agency.”

Schroeder continued, “If, in fact, we have no accountability or justice, it could be because these people who are supposed to bring us justice, and protect and defend the Constitution, are corrupted by this cult, which I believe exists … globally, but it especially has roots in Hollywood and in the environmental cult and in industry and politics.”

He hesitated for a moment, then declared, “I have no fear of them. I only fear Jesus.”

He theorized that the nation’s top leaders are “blackmailed by the cult.”

“That’s the only explanation I have for why we haven’t had accountability and justice for what they’ve done to America and continue to do to America, while we all just watch.

“I share this with the hope that those mid-level people that are investigating at the FBI and the CIA will understand that their superiors … will never give us justice because of the level of blackmail involved,” he concluded.

“All right, that’s off my chest. That feels better. Now y’all know.”

He added, “God bless America, and God bless those that are trying to defeat this cult.

“In Jesus’ name, I give you this message. Amen.”

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